Bed-bottom.



No. 72u38. PATBNTED 1L Y--19,v 19os.

A'. B, BBALL. BED BOTTOM.

, -APPLICIATION FILED JAN. 2,'1902. `lO EDEL.

Y UNITED STATES Patented May 19, 1903.

PATENT OEEICE.

ALBERT E. BEALL, on CLINTON, IOwA, AssIeNoR To coRA E. BEALL, OF

. CLINTON, IOwA. Y

i BED-BOTTOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part o f Letters Patent No. 728,438, dated May 19, 1903.

Application iiled January 2, 1902i Serial No. 88,190. (No model.) y

.have invented a new and usefu'l Bed-Bottom,

of which the following is a specication. This invention relates to bed-bottoms. T he object of the invention is to provide a bed-bottom which in use shall be thoroughly effective in distributing the weight of the occupant, which shall be noiseless, and which while readily yieldable in use .shall posse-ss sufficient resisting powerto prevent it from sagging to an objectionable degree. A further object is to provide a bed-'bottom in which the greatest resisting power yshall be centered at the Apoint where the greatest weight is disposed, thereby obviating an objection inherent in many woven-wire mattresses in which the Ycenter portion thereof will sag under weightV to such an extent as to -render it uncomfortable inuse.

With these and other objects in View, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a bed-bottom, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, there is illustrated one'form of embodiment of the'invention, together with a modiiication thereof capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the elements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from the spirit thereof, and in these drawings- Figure l is a view in plan of a bed-bottom constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a viewin transverse section. Fig. 3 is a View in longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a View inplan of a modified portion of the bottom.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the frame of the bed-bottom, comprising side bars 2 and end cleats 3, disposed on the upper edges of the side bars and secured thereto in any suitable manner.

.manner of `assembling the supporting-strands with the cleats consists in this instance in` providing the latter with a plurality of orices corresponding in number to thatof the strandsand in bending the terminals of the strands into hooks to engage vthe oriiices. This form of connection will be found ,thoroughly `efficient and durable in use and may be readily and cheaply-effected; butitl is to be' understood that .the invention .is not to be limited to this precise manner of assembling the said parts, as other means maybe adopted lfor the purpose and stillbe withinthej scope of the invention. i y

As above stated, each strand is composed of two sections, which are adapted in use to yield longitudinally when weight is applied to the bottom, and to hold the two strand-sections in operative position for user `two crosssure-eveners.A To associate theeveners with the supporting-strands, the terminals of the latter are bent into loops or eyes 8,and through these the eveners are-passed and lie under the'supporting-strands, the terminals of each of the eveners being held from disconnection with the eyes of the terminals of the two outside supporting-strands by providing the terminals.. of the evenerswith, eyeswor loops 9, which constitute stops forthepurpose deiined, or, if preferred and as will be obvious,

strands 7 are'employed, which constitute presy the eyes 9 may be interlooped with theeyes 8 of the supporting-strands for the same pur- I pose. The pressure-eveners are, as shown in Fig. 1, constructed ofcorrugated wire, and are thereby adapted jto yield to transverse pressure; but, if preferred, theymay be made of straightwire, as shown in Fig. 4.

The terminals of the .supporting-strands overlap each other any preferred distance, andinclosing the overlapped portions and bearing at their ends against the eveners is a series of coiled springs 10, one for each of the supporting-strands, these springs exerting resistance to yielding by having their IOO whorls compressedinstead of being extended, as usual. This function is obtained by disposing the springs between the eveners,which latter, as Will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1, are drawn toward each other by the opposite movement ot the members of the supporting-strands when pressure is applied to the bed-bottom, thereby contacting with the ends of the springs and compressing them. This movementis secured by connecting the terminals of the supporting-strands at the right-hand end of the bed-bottom with the evener at the left-hand end andthe terminals of the supporting-strands at the lefthand end of the bottom with the evener at the right-hand end. By securing the desired yielding movement ofthe bed-bottom by compression ot' the springs l0 all danger ot breaking the latter will be entirely obviated, and, further, the desired yield of the springs will be secured with less longitudinal movement of the supporting-strands than it' the said springs were stretched or extended, as with beds of this character generally in use.

When weight is applied to the bed-bottom, the pressure is equalized by the eveners across the whole width of the bottom, it being apparent that as the terminals ot' the eveners are positively associated with the supportingstrands they can have practically no transverse movement, so that on Weight being applied to the bed-bottom, if near one side thereof, this Weight will cause the eveners of that side to be drawn together, and this movement will be transmitted entirely across the bottom and cause a contraction or compression of all the pressure resisting springs, thereby positively obviating the tendency of one portion of the bed-bottom to yield objectionably to the exclusion of the other portions.

A bed-bottom constructed as herein described Will be exceedingly durable in use, will not be liable to get out of repair, and by reason of its simplicity of construction may be manufactured and sold at a low figure.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim' as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A bed-bottom comprising a frame, a plurality of longitudinal two-part supportingstrands having their outer terminals secured to the frame and their inner terminals overlapped at an intermediate point of the bottom and provided with eyes, pressure-eveners passed through the said eyes, and pressureresisting springs inclosing the overlapped terminals of the strands and bearing against the said eveners.

2. A bed-bottom comprising a frame, a plurality of longitudinal two-part supportingstrands having their outer terminals secured to the frame and their inner terminals overlapped and provided with eyes, corrugated pressure-eveners passed through the eyes,and associated against disconnection with the outside supporting-strands, and pressu re-resistingsprings inclosing the overlapped terminals of the strands and bearing against the said eveners.

3. A bed-bottom comprising a frame, a plurality of longitudinal two-part supportingstrands having their outer terminals secured to the frame and their inner terminals overlapped and provided with eyes, pressureeveners passed through the said eyes and disposed' beneath the supporting-strands and having their terminals providedwith stops to hold them against disconnection from the outside supporting-strands, and pressure-resisting springsinclosing the overlapped terminals of the strands and bearing against the said eveners.

4:. A bed-bottom comprising a frame, battens carried by the end cleats thereof and provided with orifices, a plurality of two-part supporting-strands having their outer terminals provided with hooks to engage the orices and their inner terminals overlapped at a point intermediate of the length of the bottom and provided with eyes, corrugated pressureeveners passed through the said eyes and having their terminals provided with stops to prevent disconnection from the outside supporting-strands, and pressure-resisting springs inclosing the overlapped terminals of the strands and bearing at their ends against the said eveners. y

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT E. BEALL. Witnesses:

C. H. MILLER, J. F. KINGSBURY. 

